All Posts Tagged: orthopedic surgeon

Overview of Rotator Cuff Tear Repair Surgery

The rotator cuff is a common source of pain in the shoulder. It refers to a group of four muscles and tendons that attach to the head of the humerus and stabilizes the shoulder as it moves in space. The most commonly affected tendon is the supraspinatus tendon. Issues with the rotator cuff commonly cause problems with overhead activity, pain with sleeping on the shoulder, and moving the shoulder in certain motions. If torn, the rotator cuff can cause progressive pain and disability in the shoulder. Unfortunately, the rotator cuff has poor healing potential on its own and often requires surgical repair in many cases.

The image shows a stylized view of the shoulder with a small anterior supraspinatus tear.

Overview of Rotator Cuff Impingement, Bursitis, and Tendinitis

Shoulder pain is one of the most common problems in patients or in athletes who deal with overhead movements of the shoulder. One of the most common reason for shoulder pain is a problem with the rotator cuff or the surrounding tissues. The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles that attach to the humeral head and the scapula and help move the shoulder in space. The rotator cuff and overlying bursa can sometimes become inflamed if the rotator cuff muscles hit the undersurface of the acromion.

Introduction to Biceps Tears or Injuries

The biceps muscle goes from the shoulder to the elbow on the front of the arm. Two separate tendons connect the upper part of the biceps muscle to the shoulder, the long head tendon and the short head tendon. The long head of the biceps connects the biceps muscle to the top of the shoulder socket, the glenoid. The long head of the biceps tendon runs within the bicipital groove. The short head of the biceps connects on the corocoid process of the scapula. The lower biceps tendon is called the distal biceps tendon and it attaches to the radial tuberosity in the forearm. The biceps is most commonly injured at the long head and more rarely it can be injured at the distal biceps tendon. Depending on where it is injured and the finding depends on how the injury needs to be treated.

Overview of Shoulder Labral Tear

The shoulder is made up of three bones: the shoulder blade (scapula), the humerus (upper arm bone), and the clavicle (collarbone). A part of the scapula, called the glenoid, makes up the shoulder socket. The glenoid is very shallow and flat. The labrum is a rim of soft tissue that makes the glenoid socket deeper so that it molds to fit the head of the humerus.

The labral tissue can be caught between the glenoid and the humerus. When this happens, the labrum may start to tear or get damaged. If the tear gets worse, it may become a flap of tissue that can get caught between the head of the humerus and the glenoid and cause pain. The labrum combined with the ligaments, tendon, and capsule all contribute to the stability of the shoulder. When people develop a labral tear the shoulder often becomes much less stable.

This is a look at shoulder from the side with the humerus and muscles removed. The labrum is the rim of tissue that surrounds the glenoid.